No you weren’t referring to my words but you were attempting to align me with people who have said those words.

No I’m 23. Next.

Well how do you define weak teams then? Define weak teams, then count the goals and let’s see the ratio of how many he scored against “weak” teams.

Simon – I’m not sure if I’d agree that shots on target are a fair indicator of who ’should’ win a match, but it’s true that Chelsea created more opportunities on goal in the second leg (in the first Barcelona had 6 to Chelsea’s 1). Another thing Barcelona (and Chelsea, for that matter) could be faulted with in this tie was poor finishing. Of the 33 shots Barcelona took (aggregate) only 7 were on target. If they are too pose a challenge in the final, even if United allow it to become an open game, they’ll have to improve that average.

I make no attempt to defend the diving or cynical fouls of Chelsea. I also make absolutely no attempt to defend their atrocious behaviour after the match, although I fully understand why it occured.

Fouls are fouls, fine. But forcing a player off the ball legitimately as Chelsea often did is football and part of the game.

I actually agree with mostly everything else you said, Hawk. Except I think Man Utd will play some defensive oriented tactics. Expect them to put Park and Evra on Messi, but otherwise I think United should and will have the confidence to take Barca on. I back Rooney/Ronaldo/Tevez (please not Berbatov) against Messi/Eto’o/Henry as a United fan, given the defenses each trio will be up against. Let’s not forget as well that Chelsea’s tactics for the majority of the game were quite rightly dictated by the fact they were ahead.

Sergio – if I was Simon Cowell I would have more important things to do than argue with people online over a football match!

Don’t accuse me of saying “defensive masterclass” when I haven’t, nor try to align me with those who have, I’m my own voice and would hate to be aligned with such terrible pundits as David Pleat etc. Call United whatever you want – I am happy to go by the same rule and call them champions of england, europe and the world.

“The same 4 teams dominating for more than 5 years aint saying great defences for the entire league especially what you refer to are goals.More to this game than just goals son.”

How does 4 teams dominating say anything about the defences, specifically, of the teams in the league?! Um, let me have a comeback: “just because only 3 teams have won la liga this decade the physios of the other teams are rubbish”. Ha!

“Half of CR’s goals came against weak epl teams last season.” Define weak teams! If you say half the teams are weak and the other half strong, then yes, half the goals, probably more, will be against weak teams! Do you know of the concept of logic…?

“btw, why so upset when the team you support won the semis and haven’t played the final yet.don’t get a heart attack if your beloved loses the final.” Listen, I’ve seen many things in the post and thread above I disagree with and when I feel people are getting the wrong idea about something I enjoy a discussion to put my points across and set the record straight. To be entirely honest, the result last night delights me. I’d rather play a 1st team full-back-less Barca than an emotional driven encounter with Chelsea: Chelsea v United II: this time it’s Personal etc.

john – Chelsea’s was a deep line but my point is they certainly kept an eye out for attacking opportunities. Of which they had more than Chelsea. When I look at who should win a game, in my opinion the most revealing stat is shots on target. No prizes for guessing who won that last night.

Yes Barca were only left with what they did. My argument is they made a complete pig’s ear of it showing there’s only one side to them as a team, which if you close off, they struggle. I don’t want to raise the stakes for me further by putting money on it, but betfair currently quoting 2.3 for united – it’s hard not to bet on those odds.

Barcelona’s display on the night was certainly not pretty, and their typical tiki-taka style of play was largely stymied by Chelsea’s well staffed and well talented defensive formation. But just as the arguments for Chelsea’s defensive tactics go – against a team like Barcelona, it’d be suicide not to – surely you can make a similar argument in defense of Barcelona: Against an 8-10 man back line, pretty football becomes impractical, winning becomes more important, and crosses (as poor as Alves’ were) horizontal passing and cracks from outside the area are all a team’s left with.

The reffing was, we all agree, wretched. The Pique hand ball was a clear penalty. The Abidal Red was not a Red. The decision to give a free-kick outside of the box for the Malouda/Avles foul/non-foul showed what complete lack of competence the ref had to draw from. But as the saying goes: “The ref’s decision is final.” Play with what you’re given. Barcelona’s in the final now and that won’t change.

I would put my money on United for the final – I’d say that without Marquez, Abidal and Alves Man Utd (who are every bit as impressive as their record, both EPL and CL, indicate) will have little problem finding goals. Hope it’ll be a good match.